Can This One Airplane Change Help Cure Jet Lag?

There is an infinite number of jet lag solutions (food, drinks, beauty routines, carefully maintained regimes), mainly because each body reacts to long-haul travel completely differently. Traditionally, all of these solutions have come from startups and other service-based companies. Now, Airbus wants in on the fun.

As Economist reports, a group of researchers from Stanford have come up with a jet lag treatment that involves a series of light flashes from a very specific kind of machine—in other words, it's not readily accessible for the traveling masses. This is where Airbus jumps in. By utilizing a lighting system that better plays into the body's natural rhythm, the brand hopes that entire planes full of people can leave feeling refreshed. Here's how it works: if you're on a plane traveling east, the cabin lights will become brighter (at the beginning of the day), hopefully tricking the body into thinking the day is already well underway. If you're traveling west, the lights will stay brighter later, imitating the later sunset on the western coast.

These LED lights have 16.7 million different shades, making it easier to mock true sunlight. The in-flight systems are currently only available with five airlines who fly A350s: Vietnam Airlines, Singapore, TAM Airlines, Qatar Airlines, and Finnair.

Erika Owen is the Audience Engagement Editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @erikaraeowen.